Potato-digger.



UNITE1) STATES atented. April 11, 190.

PATENT OFFICE.

MARCUS AL TSTOCK, OF LEMBRG, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

POTATO!DIGGER.

SIECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent 1\l'o. 786,792, dated. April 11, 1905.

Application filed January 5, 1903. SerialNo. 137.913.

Be it known that I, MARCUS ALTSTOOK, a subof the next row to be treated, the same being simultaneously pluoked and thrwn ofl? onto the part of the ground from which the potatoes have been already lifted.

Another feature of the machine which forms the object of the present invention consists in a share formed of separate bars provided with points resembling plowshares, being provided in place of the knife-share hitherto employed, which improved share may be ad justed to correspond to the depth of the sol of the field. These bars may also be provided at their upper sides with wedge-shaped projections, the cutting edges of which are directed forward in order to obtain a suflicient disinte,qration of the earth in the case of heavy soils. The tines of the lifting-rake, which is formed like a grate andwhich lifts the dug-up potatoes and frees them from soil, are so formed that any damage to the potatoes is avoided. The movement is transmitted from the rear. wheels in the ordinary manner by means of ohaingear.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view; Fig. 2, a plan view, partially in section, of a machine of this charaeter.

The rake-share 1 consists of a number of pointed bars 2, resemblingplovshares, which are extended at the rear end into two flattehed projections 3, which form a grate 4, Fig. 2, over whch the po tatoes pass from the liftingrake 5 into a suitable riddle. The bars 2 are seeured t0 cross-pieces 48, which connect between the sides of the Share 1 and are upturned at their rear end to discharge the material into the riddle. 'lhe rake-share 1 is carried, by means of braces 47, on an nnequal armed balancer or pair of beams 8, mounted on the frame 7 of the digger. At the front tightening-nuts 11, by the tightening or slaakening of whieh the rake-share can be exactlv adjusted to the desired depth, Figs. 1 and 2. One of the beams 8 has an upwardly-directed projeoting arm 12, from the upper end of which a connecting-rod 13 extends to the lever of the handle 14, which is provided in the ordinary way with a ratchet-lever and teeth, so

that by the manipulation of this hand-lever 14 the rake-share. may be raised or lowered to the desired depth.

The elevator or lifting-rake 5 is formed of a series of connectihg-links, some of which are provided with projeetions or tines 17. These tines are preferably arranged to form a staggering row across the elevator.

lhe elevator is carred on drums 15, Which are mounted on axles having bearings in the ends of the beam 8. These drums differ 'rom those hitherto employed in being cylindrical instead of polygonal and in having their outer surfaces provided with grooves 16 parallel to the axis and adapted to engage with the hinge parts of the elevating-rake.

The lifting-rake is operated by means of chain-gear l9 on the shaft 18, which also carries the beam 8. Owing to the fact that the lifting-rake is mounted in the ends of the beam, it is raised and lowered simultaneously with the rake-share without its being necessary to disconnect the drving-gear. The transmission of power isefiected from the rear wheels of the machine by means of a chain-gear 20 from the main driving-axle 21 to the shaft 18. The riddle is covered bya pro tecting-casing 22.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure bv Letters Patent, is

portions, an upwardly-projecting arm 12 from one of said beams, a corneeting-rod 13 pvoted to the end of said arm, a, lever 14 at the forward end of said frame connected with sad connecting-rod, and a pawl, and segment-raak 5 for holding sad lever in adjusted position whereby said beams may be adjusted, drums mounted in the end of said beams, an elevator provided wth projecting tines coacting w'0h said drums and driven thereby, a rake-share secured t0 said beams and along which sad tines operate, and means for drving said drums, substantally as herein described.

In wtness whereof 1 h:we hereunto signed my name, this 18th day of December, 1902, in the presence of two subscribing wtnesses. I 5

MARCUS ALTSTOCK.

Witnesses A. INPFELMACI-IER, ALVESTO S. IIOGUE. 

